Dec 10, 2015 - Food and Drink

8 worthy food stops on Independence Boulevard

Katie Levans

Independence Boulevard is a hot mess. You know it. I know it. And Tim Long certainly knew it in his piece that likened the road to a war zone. But despite the construction and traffic and horrendous never-ending median that can’t be crossed, a handful of resilient local businesses that aren’t car dealerships have stood the test of time and poor planning. A few have even opted to open recently, knowing full well what they’ve signed up for.

Here’s a look at some of the best food you’ll find along this fallen but not forgotten strip.

Agora Greek Market

Nick Marinakos, a Charlotte native, told me his family’s been in the Greek food business for the last 30 years but they just opened this retail market on Independence back in 2011. He says the current state of construction has affected growth to new customers but that their loyal base of regulars keep coming back. You’ll find fresh and frozen items, baked goods, an olive bar, cheeses and more. The best Greek restaurant in town? “Greek Isles but it closed,” says Nick. 5122 E. Independence Blvd.

Bean Vegan Cuisine

This combo restaurant and market serves up a mix of familiar comfort foods – like burgers, tacos, BBQ and meatloaf – with an unexpected twist: it’s all free of meat, eggs and dairy. Their BBQ sandwich is made with shredded jackfruit that looks so convincing I asked for double confirmation that it wasn’t actually meat. (Check out the Kitty Kat pie in our Halloween dessert round up.) 3001 E. Independence Blvd.

The Cooking Pot

Esther Ikuru, a Nigeria native, just opened this restaurant last month. She’s incredibly proud of her food and is quick to point out that everything is made from scratch. “We can’t just take a sauce from a jar and microwave it,” she said. She walked me through the menu, which features traditional items like coconut rice, Jollof rice (with a mix of tomatoes and spices), fufu (a starchy dough made with the flour from root vegetables like cassava and yams), stews, meat pies and more. 5622 E. Independence Blvd.

Panaderia Odalys

There are multiple Odalys bakeries throughout the Charlotte area. You’ll find fresh-made cakes, cookies, pastries, doughnuts and more. The location on Independence is a a cash-only establishment and I only carry cards so I was prepared to walk out empty handed when the clerk insisted I take something and just pay for it later. I managed to scrounge up the $0.85 necessary for my giant sugar cookie but I thought his trust in my willingness to come back was very refreshing. See a behind the scenes video of the bakery here. 4404 E. Independence Blvd.

Queen’s Soul Food

Chef Andre serves up comfort food favorites like fried chicken, BBQ ribs, fried fish, collard greens and cole slaw at this hidden gem. Food is served cafeteria style so you line up on one end of the counter and work you way down while a server fills your plate up. I asked Celeste, the woman running the counter yesterday, what people should know about this restaurant, what makes them famous, and her three-word response was all I needed to hear: “Macaroni and cheese.” Say no more. 7308 E. Independence Blvd.

South 21

This iconic drive-in has been serving Charlotte since 1955 and it’s still owned and operated by the daughter of one of the original founding Copsis brothers. 3101 E. Independence Blvd.

Super G Mart

Super G is your one-stop shop for hard-to-find ingredients for international dishes. They’ve also got a Korean Restaurant and Hong Kong Bakery inside. Oh, and a post office. You can read all about the Super G in all its glory in my write up here.

Tamarind

This lovely little Indian restaurant is new to Matthews in the last year. They’ve got a killer express lunch menu with an entree, naan, rice and soup or salad for $9 – $12. 10416 E. Independence Blvd.

What’d I miss? Where do you eat on Independence?

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